Haute couture bubbles

Ayala Rose Majeur and Ayala Brut Majeur NV. Photo / Supplied

French champagne house Ayala was once the supplier for the courts of Great Britain and Spain prior to World War II.

These days, it is the house champagne for Gordon Ramsay's group of restaurants.

"We see ourselves as haute couture," says Raymond Ringeval, the global export manager for Ayala (pronounced eye- ah-la).

Despite its history — it originated around 1860 — Ayala is not a well-known brand of French Champagne but it's fast gaining ground.

The global breakthrough came with the purchase of Ayala in 2005 by the heavyweight French Champagne house Bollinger.

Although remaining, in the company's words, "a small house", Ayala could now follow in the considerable slipstream and worldwide distribution arm of Bollinger.

It has a major point of difference from most other French Champagne houses — it is a pioneer in low or zero dosage, a process that sees less or no sugar added to the wine.

Good news for those who are diet-conscious or who are trying to avoid sugar.

"We are leading a new category of champagne, being followed by others. Consumers are going for drier styles, especially in sophisticated markets," says Ringeval.

Low-dosage wine must be made from high-quality grapes. Although the wines are not as capable of ageing like others, they have a pure, transparent, lively fresh finish to them.

Price-wise, Ayala is pitched somewhere in the middle — a fact which, according to Ringeval, makes his job a little easier.

"France is the number one Champagne market in the world and we have noticed there is a slight trading down; these days less is being spent on a bottle of Champagne."

An ideal apertif, Ayala also works well with seafood and lighter pastry-based and fruit desserts.

Ayala Brut Majeur NV
A blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier. The first gives richness, the second delicacy, the third fruitiness. A lighter style with great finesse.
Price: about $75

Ayala Rose Majeur
A chardonnay, pinot noir, petit meunier and red wine blend, this has a beautiful necklace of fine long lasting bubbles. Bouquet of red fruits and a hint of cassis. Delicate charmer. Dry finish.
Price: about $90